Wish Upon A Star
by Princess Dia
Summary: Mabel's one wish when she returns to Gravity Falls for the next summer is to continue things from where she left off: having fun with her friends and family, and strengthening her bond with her great-uncle Ford.
**Hi everyone! I'm back with another Mabel and Ford bonding fic. I can't help it, these are fun to right~ Re-uploaded from my Tumblr, as always.**

 **So without further ado, let's begin!**

* * *

On Mabel's first night back in Gravity Falls, she made a wish.

Some would deem it childish for a thirteen year old to be making wishes on stars, but she wanted all the extra luck she could get.

 _Please let me have another great summer with my friends and Dipper and Grunkle Stan. And please please please let me and Grunkle Ford become closer, I want to be his friend too. Okay, thanks! Good night._

Almost 2 weeks later, Mabel was disappointed. Everything in her wish was coming true, except for the last part.

While her and Ford didn't have a lot of time last summer to bond, Mabel had thought they were approaching to the level of closeness that her uncle and Dipper had. They had more conversations with each other, and the environment was less awkward, but other than that, there didn't seem to be much progress going.

She had tried everything she could think of. She tried her best not to be too loud or weird around him. Whenever he took Dipper on an expedition, she saw them off with a smiling face and even packed them some snacks. She asked him questions about Gravity Falls, in hope that maybe he would realize that she wanted to help him out.

But nothing worked. The girl was frustrated at her uncle for not taking notice of her, at Dipper for always getting attention from him.

But mostly with herself. _If Ford doesn't want to spend time with me, it's my own fault for being too immature. He probably doesn't even like me._

That night, when she went to get a glass of water, she came face to face with the man himself. He was sitting at the table, reading from one of his books. He looked up when he heard her walk in. "Hello Mabel. Getting a glass of water?"

She nodded and proceeded to fill a glass up. She sat down at the table with him and slowly took a few sips.

The thoughts from earlier wouldn't leave her mind. It was a nagging feeling, causing knots in her stomach. _I should ask him…but what if I don't like what he says?_ She gripped the glass tighter.

 _It's now or never._ "Grunkle Ford? Can I ask you a question?"

"Hm?" He looked up from his book. "Of course. What is it?"

Mabel took a deep breath. "Do you like me?"

She had his full attention now. He certainly wasn't expecting that question. "Why Mabel, of course I do!"

She averted his gaze. "Then…how come you don't want to spend time with me?" She took a shuddering breath, her composure cracking. "I know that I'm not as smart as Dipper and I'm not into science-y stuff like you guys…" She could feel the moisture gathering, threatening to fall out any second.

"B-but I want to be friends with you too." Her breath hitched on the last word and she silently allowed her tears to fall.

The book was forgotten immediately and Ford rushed to pull Mabel into a hug. "Oh Mabel…"

It had never been his intention to make Mabel believe that he didn't love her. He had always thought that their relationship was good, and needn't any improvement. He had never meant for her think that he liked Dipper more, or that she was less. He closed his eyes and silently groaned. _Ford you idiot_.

And if he really did think about it, he couldn't recall a time where he and Mabel spent some proper time together. Save for the occasional arts and crafts they had done, his memory didn't bring forward any other time.

"Mabel, I _do_ like you. A lot!" He gently ran his fingers through her hair, hoping he was coming off as comforting. "It was never my intention to make you feel otherwise, or left out."

"Sometimes I do…" She murmured. "You and Dipper get to do cool stuff together, and I want to as well. I always thought it's because I'm stupid or immature."

"You are not stupid." He said firmly. "Nor are you immature. I'll admit, I didn't think of you the type of person I would have a lot in common with. But that was my fault for thinking like that. Not yours."

He heard her sniffle. "So…you don't hate me?"

He tightened his arms around her. "I could never hate you. I'm so sorry."

Another sniffle, and then he felt Mabel's arm wriggle around him, hugging him back. "It's okay."

He didn't deserve forgiveness. Not after the way he had made his niece feel. And yet she forgave him. _I promise to be a better uncle._

"Do you want to do something with me tomorrow?" Her small voice broke his thoughts, sounding so hopeful it pulled at his heartstrings.

"Yes, I would love to." He glanced at the clock. "But you should probably go back to be now, it's late."

"Okay," she got up and offered him a small and sincere smile. "Goodnight, Grunkle Ford."

He returned the smile and tousled her hair. "Goodnight, kiddo."

As he watched her climb up the stairs, a determined look came onto his face. _Tomorrow and every day after that will be better_.

* * *

Mabel had noticed that Ford always wore the same red sweater, in contrast to her many colourful and designed ones. However, there was one thing she was sure of: they both loved their sweaters.

"You need more sweaters!" Mabel dragged her uncle towards the armchair, where she had set everything up.

"Mabel, I don't know anything about knitting!"

"That's why I'm going to teach you!" She stopped and pointed to the seat. "Sit!"

Ford shook his head and sat down. "You're going to regret this. I'll make a mess, not a sweater."

"That's okay!" She climbed onto the arm of the chair. "As long as we have fun!" She handed him a pair of knitting needles.

Ford was right when he said he would make more of a mess. However, with Mabel's guidance (and a bit of silly teasing), the tangled yarn mess eventually began to resemble a sweater.

Knitting became a frequent activity, where Mabel and Ford would take over the living room with their knitting needles and balls of yarn. Eventually, Ford had a sweater of every possible colour, all finished with a touch of Mabel magic, as she liked to call it. One sweater had a design resembling his journals, another had an owl ("If you were an animal, you would definitely be an owl!"), and one was knitted like a galaxy.

Of course, they didn't leave the other Pines out of their knitting fun. Ford had knit a simple blue sweater for Dipper, who was ecstatic upon receiving it.

"This is for you Stan." Ford smirked while handing his brother the package. "Mabel helped me make it."

Stan sent a suspicious glance towards him, and opened it.

It was a sweater with the words 'Little Brother' knitted on the front.

* * *

Ford had been planning this outing for a week now. He wanted it to be perfect. He owed it to Mabel.

He cleared his throat to get Mabel's attention. "Mabel?"

The girl looked up from her colouring. "Oh, hi Grunkle Ford!"

"I was going to go into the forest. Would you like to join me?"

The way her face lit up upon hearing those words surprised the man. She grinned and immediately got up, running to him. "Really?! You want _me_ to come with you?!"

He chuckled and took her hand. "Yes, I want it to be you."

She let out a triumphant shriek. "What are we going to do?"

"Fairy hunting."

That got another happy squeal out of the girl, and a grin growing on his face.

It took a while but they had managed to find some fairies. They were elegant creatures, surrounded by a gentle glowing aura, their hair silky and soft, with beautiful and delicately designed wings. Everywhere they flew, a small trail of glittering dust followed. Mabel immediately managed to make friends with some of them, after much coaxing. Ford was able to take some notes on them.

Eventually, he settled to sitting against a tree and watching his niece as she pranced around. After a little while, Mabel returned to him grinning. She had a flower crown in her hair and she was holding a second one in her hand. "I'm the fairy princess!" She placed the second wreath on her uncle's head. "And you can be the king!"

* * *

Sometimes Mabel would lay awake at night feeling guilty about Weirdmaggedon. Sometimes she would wake up because of horrible nightmares. And sometimes she was too afraid to go to sleep.

After waking up from a nightmare of Bill tormenting her family, Mabel would go around the house and check to make sure everyone was still there. First she would check on Dipper, and when the rising and falling of his chest brought a small comfort to her, she would check on Stan. She could hear him snoring from outside the room, so she moved onto Ford's room next. Gently opening the door, she peeked inside and saw him in bed.

She hesitated. She wanted to get closer just to be sure he was still okay, but she didn't want to wake him up. She awkwardly stood there for a few minutes and when she turned around to leave, she heard him shifting in his bed. "Mabel?" He sleepily rubbed at his eyes. "Is everything alright?"

She bit her bottom lip and shook her head, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes. His face softened immediately as he extended his hand towards her, inviting her into his protective embrace. "Mabel dear, it wasn't your fault."

"But I could've killed everyone, Grunkle Ford! All because I had to be so stupid!" She was full out sobbing now.

"Deep breaths, Mabel." When the girl's breaths had become steadier, he shifted her in his hold so she was looking at him. "Now Mabel, did you know what the rift was and what it could do?"

She slowly shook her head.

"Did you know that Bill would do anything to get his hands on it?"

Another shake of her head.

"Did you know that Bill had possessed Blendin?"

"No." She answered with a soft whisper.

He hugged her tighter. "It wasn't your fault, my dear. At all. No one is mad at you." He gently murmured. "You are not stupid, you are a sweet, compassionate and caring person. One of the best people I've known in my life."

He held the girl and let her cry herself out. After her sobs had subsided, he brushed some strands of hair from her face. "Feeling better, sweetheart?"

She nodded. And they stayed cuddled like that for the rest of night.

* * *

Stargazing had become a regular Pines family bonding activity. Mabel and Ford were currently waiting for Stan and Dipper on the blanket they had laid out, pointing out the different constellations in the sky.

"And there's Grunkle Stan's constellation! The dollar sign!" Mabel pointed to a cluster of stars, that when connected together, did indeed form a dollar sign.

Ford let out a chuckle. "Typical Stan."

"Did the other dimensions have these constellations?"

"Well, no. Everything was different over there." Ford paused for a moment. "The sky varied in each dimension."

Mabel thought for a moment. "So was there a dimension with a pink sky?"

"Yes."

"A purple sky?"

"Mm-hmm."

"A yellow sky that rained pink glitter?"

Ford nodded. The girl stared at him awe. "Wow! That sounds amazing!"

He stretched his leg out. "Yeah, it was quite a sight. But I'm happy to be home." He looked up at the sky and smiled. "And if you ask me, we have quite the view here."

A shooting star passed through the sky. Mabel grabbed Ford's hand in excitement. "Grunkle Ford! Make a wish, make a wish!"

He raised his brow. "A wish, eh?" Then he began to think.

If he truly thought about it now, everything he wanted had come true.

He glanced down at Mabel who had her eyes shut tight, in the process of making a wish.

He was no longer estranged from his brother. He had an adorable great-nephew who he enjoyed to spend time with, and who likewise adored and admired him.

And Mabel. When he first returned home and greeted her, he never expected himself to become so attached to the girl. He still sometimes felt guilty about his earlier treatment of her. At first he thought that only he and Dipper had things in common, but every day he found himself relating more and more to Mabel as well.

He had a proper, stable relationship with all of his family. Bill was gone.

He was home.

"You know Mabel, I think my wish already came true."

He felt her small hand slip into his six-fingered one. He gave it a loving squeeze.

"Mine too."

* * *

 **So this is the longest fic I've written so far haha. I hope it was okay! Thanks for reading!**


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